(First published in The Philippine Star issue of Jan. 27, 2013)


MATTER OF STYLE: Handlers of President Noynoy Aquino may want to look for other ways to make their boss look good without having to continually disparage other people, especially his predecessor.

 

In Davos, for instance, there was the unfortunate spectacle of the President of the Philippines washing dirty linen in his 10-minute speech before scores of foreign leaders and dignitaries attending the World Economic Forum.


There are many ways of highlighting economic achievements, but he chose to do it by recycling horror stories about the previous administration storing rotting rice, his completing an underpass in Quezon City in shorter time at less cost, and the removal in disgrace of an impeached Chief Justice appointed by his predecessor.


It is a matter of style, of course. But does the President have to journey to wintry Switzerland and spend P49 million of taxpayers’ money just to shine at the expense of his favorite hate-objects?


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INVESTMENT PITCH: The President’s propagandists probably think dwelling on past scandals, while glossing over current corruption, is enough to stampede foreign investors even without iron-clad assurances of a level playing field, predictability and a favorable investment climate.


He reported that “stability ensues and stakeholders begin to buy into the system -- investors flock in, economic gains are channeled into investments in our people’s future such as those in health and education.”


But he gave no details nor mentioned his vaunted Public-Private Partnership flagship that has failed to bring in the big-ticket projects.


He pointed to the Philippine Stock Exchange index which, according to him, has broken its own record high 70 times since he came into office. How much of the speculative money went into direct investments that opened factories and created jobs?


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ABSENTEE LEADER?: The President recalled that when he assumed office on June 30, 2010, he came upon “a government where corruption was rampant, and a citizenry that had spiraled into apathy after almost a decade of absentee leadership.”


He did not say who the “absentee leader” was. It cannot be then President Gloria Arroyo who worked so hard that her staff and Cabinet members sometimes complained of being tired out by her full-day work routine, in contrast to lazybones in the current administration.


“The system” he continued, “was characterized by transactionalism and an every-man-for-himself attitude, fueled by a drive to remain in power rather than to render public service.” The keen observer is wont to ask if anything has changed.


He boasted that he plans to export rice this year. Why not? -- with his National Food Authority boys on an importing frenzy, not to mention the stock that continue to be smuggled, the country has hoarded more than enough rice for the elections and then export some of it later.


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TOP & ZERO TRAVELER: The President’s visit to Switzerland is his 23rd foreign trip since he assumed office in 2010, according to a tally of presidential trips published by the Office of the President in the Official Gazette.


The same tabulation shows that former President Arroyo was the top traveler, making 127 foreign trips in her nine years in office, for an average of 14 a year.


In contrast, Ramon Magsaysay did not travel abroad in his four years in office until he was killed in a plane crash in 1957 on Mt. Manunggal in Cebu.


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MOST TRAVELLED: Other presidents went on foreign trips this number of times: Fidel Ramos, 69 (in his six years in office); Ferdinand Marcos, 22 (in 21 years); Erap Estrada, 20 (3); Cory Aquino, 19 (6); Manuel L. Quezon, 17 (9); Diosdado Macapagal, 13 (4); Elpidio Quirino, 8 (5); Sergio Osmeña, 4 (2); Carlos P. Garcia, 4 (4); Jose P. Laurel, 1 (2); and Manuel Roxas, 1 (2).


The Gazette showed that the United States was the country most visited, with Arroyo going there 18 times, followed by Ramos, 7; Osmeña, 4; Quirino, 4; Noynoy Aquino, 4; Quezon, 3; Estrada, 3; and Macapagal, 2.


Marcos went to Indonesia four times, more times than he did to the US. Cory Aquino, despite her having lived in exile in the US during the Marcos regime and her triumphant state visit to Washington after becoming president in 1986, visited Japan most number (three) of times.


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NO LONER: In this age when no country can afford to be a loner, attending foreign forums and summit meetings has become routine for world leaders. Multilateral conferences save time for participants since their opposite numbers are conveniently gathered in one place.


Frequent foreign trips of Philippine presidents have been an issue mainly because of the expense incurred. The Aquino administration has made it a point to announce how much a trip costs and how much in investments it is expected to generate.


Contrary to common notion, state visits, which are undertaken on invitation of the host country, are the most economical. The host foots the bill, including necessary in-country expenses of the official entourage.


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VARIATIONS: State visits are marked by the highest form of diplomatic courtesy that includes full arrival honors and a state luncheon or dinner. In some US state visits that I have covered, Air Force One was sent to fetch the visiting president at the port of entry.


Official visits are undertaken by a head of government on invitation of his counterpart or of a foreign high-ranking official. Official visits are almost the same as state visits except that formal honors such as a state dinner are dispensed with.


Working visits, as the label suggests, are meant for that – work. The visit is preceded by working meetings of technical officials. On some working trips, then Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew travelled on scheduled Singapore Airlines flights sometimes lugging his own briefcase.


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